The present invention relates to hand tools and more particularly to tensioning and cut off tools for binding straps with locking collars.
A strap tensioning and severing tool having a complicated operating mechanism is shown in the Caveney et al. U.S. Pat. No. 3,661,187 issued May 9, 1972 and assigned to Panduit Corporation of Tinley Park, Ill. It discloses a gripper mechanism which transmits force from an actuator link, to a drive link, to a lever link, to a tension rod on which the gripper is pivotally mounted. A severing mechanism transmits force from the actuator link, to the drive link, to the lever link, to a pair of link plates, and finally to a detent member which in turn allows the link plates to pivot from their normal positions. Pivoting of the link plates causes a lever arm to pivot and raise a blade to sever a strap. The strap is severed between an abutment plate and the gripper.